Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-04-23
SELF OR BEARER"
By L BEsANT.
Author Of "Au Sorts and Conditions OF
Aen,' The Captain Room" etc.

Men" The Captain Room.' etc.
I'm Saturday morning he spent another
hour or. two with the count, and learned
more. He now understood for the first time
that he who plays at a public table has to do
with a man who must win as often as he
pleases, or as often as he dares, because he
can do what he likes with the cards. For
some reason Of his own, the count was
teaching him the secrets of the cards The
Saturday afternoon he spent in thinking"
as before. And on Saturday evening he
went again to the club. and again he won:
but not much. On Sunday morning he
awoke, full of aprrehensions. Four more
days; he NUT invent or make up something
which would keep his father quiet. He was
so full Of fears that he resolved to tell every
thing to Calista.
1t has been seen that he told her nothing.
The reason was. partly, that he be, bought
him, on the way. of the pain and shame
with which she would hear his story: and
partly because, as he went on the top Of an
omnibus from Camden Town to the Man
sion house, and again from the Mansion
house down the Commercial road. there
went with him a voice. There may have
been something belonging to the voice. a dis
embodied splrlF, a demon. an afreet-l know
not what. But he heard the voice, and he
did not see the AFFECT.
Said the voice: To-day is Sunday. You
have four days-onlv four days. What can
you make up that will satisfy your father on
Thursday mornings Four days only left. Ii
you go empty-handed he will himse t Jake
up the case. II he does he Will get to the
bottom Of that case somehow or other, be-
fore he lets it go. AS for the count, you can
keep him quiet. He wants you for some
purpose Of his own: he will teach you all he
knows and you can buy his silence. No
body can prove that he presented the checks
dangerous one Of the three. But you must
invent something-you must say some
thing"
He could think of nothing. He was ready
with no explanation. report. result or my.
thing at all In this nagging. uncomf r..
able manner the voice went on all the way
from Camden Town to Shadwell High street,
which is, as the crow flies. four miles and a
half.
Then while Calista was ia king to him tho
voice began again: ".It lies between you and
Norah. 1t must lave been either you or
Norah. One of you two did it If you arc
not suspected she must be-" Well, he, for
bis part, would not be suspected if he could
avoid 1. by any means.
b was the reason why he spoke in so
strange u fashion to Calista about what
would happen. He was answering, though
she did not know it, this voice which she
could not hear.
He left the hospital, and got back to tho
early Sunday Dime at two. His father, for
once, was Almost genial, and talked freely
with his son, which was unusual with him.
His success in the matter of the Clonsilla in.
heritanca pleased him He was a landed
gentleman; he had an estate in Ireland and
another i'll England; he spoke of the land as
one who has a stake in the country, and
pointed out to his son that he was now an
heir, and must acquirc a knowledge some
where of the law Us regards land. This was
all very well; but he proceeded to talk of
the robbery. and of the care with which he
himself would tackle the case If he had the
time, or if he was obliged to take it in hand.
This kind of talk made his son writhe.
After dinner Mr.. Murridge. on Sundays,
always mad a bottle of port. His son took
one glass, and he himself drank the rest of
the bottle. With each glass he became
more pleased with his cievcrness in out
whiting the doctor, and nj re eager for re.
venge in the matter of the robbery, So that
he mixed up his own astutencss with the
crsft of the forger--h his ducats with his
acres.
Find him, Dick. Find him for me
make hastc!m
II am doing the best I can" said Dick
Don't hurry a man."
Have you got a clew yetf' his father
asked.
Don't ask me anything. You gave me
week. l am not going to tell you any
thing before Thursday morning"
'Quite right. Dick. Nothing could be better. 1
hate prattling before q cas-. is ready. But there is
no harm In q word OF advice. Now If I had tho row
duct Of the case l should advertise a substantial re.
ward for the discovery of the three persons who pre-.
sented the checks; once find them, and the thing 1.
done. To be sure. there may he a ring OF them-one
to forge the checks, one to steal the check books and
one to present them. and they would stand by each
other. wonder bank clerks haven't made a ring
before now. They might use it merrily for a time.
But l don't think there Is a ring. Dick. The check.
have been taken out OF the book and given to some
cashed by people he knew. Now. one OF them is a
foreigner. old and gray headed. and wanting a fore.
finger OH the right h~and-wan,ing a f~oreinger. Dick.
There can't be many men in London answering to
that description, can there? Very well, that's nv
idea. You will act on 1t or not. as you please. But
find him. Dick; let me put him in the dock. Let me
ayear on a plank, I believe. and solitary confinement
on bread and water or skilly. The law Is a righteous
law which condemns one who steals hard-carned
money to solitary confinement and = plank bed.
But he ought to be hanged, Dick. Nothing but
hanging will meet the merits OF the case"
Presently Dick escaped, and wandered about the
streets OF Camden Town. One thing he clearly per
ceived must be done at any cost-hc must keep his
father from taking up the case.
To him who thinks long enough there cometh at
the last n suggestion. To Dick 1t seemed to come
from without. 1t was q truly villainous and dis.
graceful suggestion, black as Erebus. crafty as the
serpent and cowardly as the skunk. 1t had been
whispered In his ear at the hospital. Now It was
whispered again.
you must accuse some one. 1t Is yoa7 anly
chance. II you acknowledge that you have failed,
your father will imme lately take up the case him.
SELF. he Will advertise and offer u reward. He Is
quite sure to find out the truth. You must accuse
some one. Whom will you accuse?
1t must be some one who has access to the office;
some one who knows your fathers habits in draw.
lug ch .cks; some one who would &c: at his signature
easily.
mo. Not the ONCE boy. There cannot be a proof.
or shadow OF proof. against the Office boy. Who
else comes to the Officer Dick waited while that
question was Put to him a hundred times. who
else but Norah? There is no other. Moran Cronan."
Dick Murrtdge had known this girl al his life.
when she was five and he eight, they played to-
gether; when she was ten and he thirteen, he leased
and hullied her after the manner of boys: when she
was sixteen and he II netcen, he began to perceive
that she was ieautiful: only a fortnight before he
had told her that he loved her. And now he could
har'sor the thought OF accusing her In order to save
himself. Sad the voice in H., ear:
THE first rule Of life Is self preservation. Before
that everytn NJ must give way. A man must save
himself at any sacr flee. Honor. love, friendship,
t~ruth-what are they? shadowa- The first thing is
self reservation"
His father had taught him this precept a hundred
times What was 1t he was going to do but to pre-
serve HIMSELF?
the thing q tn" more easv. She was, II any one. q
favor te with him. He trusted her more than any
otner person in the world-more than his own son.
II he interested himself or cared ahout any one, It
was about this clever. quick and industrious girl
clerk. who for seventy-fve pounds a year did the
worE OF two men CLERKS at double the salary. II his
1ather co.. only be persuaded that 1t was Norah,
he would probably say nothing more about It. He
would forgive her, and all would go on as before.